Q&A: SHR 2013
Have questions about changes in the new edition of Sexual Health Rankings? Post your question in the comments section below, and we’ll reply with an answer.
Sex Stories: Week in Review, 2/07/14
Sexual Health Rankings™ presents Sex Stories, a weekly roundup of sexual health news from around the country.
Study on Stroke in Women Focuses on Risks From Pregnancy (Wall Street Journal)
New guidelines from the American Heart Association include specific recommendations for females to reduce their risk of stroke. Recommendations include monitoring blood-pressure in women on oral contraceptives and taking steps to avoid preeclampsia during pregnancy.
Abortion Rates Lowest in 40 Years (CNN)
A new report from the Guttmacher Institute found that abortion rates fell 13% between 2008 and 2011. The decline is thought to be related to an overall drop in pregnancy and birth rates, improved contraceptive use, and the recession. The same report also showed that states have passed over 200 restrictions on abortion since 2011.
Virginia Bill to Decriminalize Sex Outside of Marriage Stalls (NBC News)
The repeal of a law against fornication, one of Virginia’s “morality laws” was put on hold this week. Lawmakers were worried that changes to the law would provide loopholes to those who commit incest and other sex crimes. Virginia also made headlines this week as the opening arguments were heard in the federal challenge of the state’s ban against same sex marriage.
Teens Having Less Sex, at Least at One Bay Area School (SF Gate)
Every five years, Redwood High School students fill out an anonymous survey about sex, similar to those used by public health agencies. The most recent results show an overall decline in students having intercourse and those who think homosexuality is an illness. The survey dates back to the 1970s.
SHR 2013 Update
The new and improved edition of Sexual Health Rankings™ is now scheduled for release on Wednesday, February 5. We are in the process of updating the Web site.
Sex Stories: Week in Review, 1/31/14
Sexual Health Rankings™ presents Sex Stories, a weekly roundup of sexual health news from around the country.
To counter the spike the spike in sex trafficking associated with major sporting events, New Jersey officials are working with the Division of Criminal Justice, the FBI, and law enforcement from prior Super Bowl Host cities. The penalties for buying or selling sex are among the most severe in the country due to a strict law passed last year.
Revenge or Rebound Sex Common for College Students After a Breakup, Study Suggests (Boston.com
A preliminary study out of the University of Missouri shows that many college students have sex within a month off a breakup in order to get back at or get over their ex, with the latter being slightly more common. The findings, including seeing comfort in sex, align with those of studies involving older adults.
Sexual Problems Affect Young Adults Too, Study Shows (Fox News)
In a recent study of over 400 sexually active adolescents, nearly half reported a sexual problem. Additionally, about half of this group were distressed by the problem(s) which included erectile dysfunction, low sexual desire, and difficulty reaching orgasm. Males and females reported similar rates of dysfunction.
Teen Sexual Health in Iowa (CBS 2 Iowa)
Teen births are down in Iowa due at least in part to the efforts of sex educators to teach about disease, birth control, abstinence, and sexual negotiation at a younger age. Despite these efforts, STI rates are up throughout the state. Of note, rural areas have higher rates of disease and teen pregnancy as well as less sex education and reproductive health services.
Harvard Reviews Sexual Assault Policy as Students Push Change (Businessweek)
Following in the steps of Cornell and other big name schools, Harvard has hired new staff to overhaul the school’s sexual violence prevention and response policies. Such changes, including an “affirmative consent measure” were called for in a 2012 student referendum and are already the policy of the Undergraduate Council.
Company to Change Policy, Offer Health Benefits to Same-Sex Couples (Hartford Courant)
A Connecticut woman’s decision to sue Brookdale Senior Living for refusing to add her wife to her health insurance plan has inspired a corporate policy change. The company which operates over 600 senior living communities throughout the US is revising their insurance to include coverage for all spouses recognized as such at the state level.
A Court’s All-Hands Approach Aids Girls Most At Risk (New York Times)
A relatively new court system in Alameda County helps girls involved in or at a high risk of sex trafficking. The Girls Court, part of a network of about half a dozen around the country, includes social services, Saturday psycho-educational sessions, and adult mentors. The system shows promising results in evaluations.
Sex Stories: Week in Review, 1/24/14
Sexual Health Rankings™ presents Sex Stories, a weekly roundup of sexual health news from around the country.
Federal Task Force to Target Campus Sexual Assaults (LA Times)
A new White House report concludes that college women have the highest risk of being sexually assaulted. The report prompted President Obama to create a federal task force to address the issue. The announcement comes at a time when there has been an increase in both federal complaints under Title IX and the Clery Act as well as in student activism encouraging survivors to speak out.
VA Republicans Ready to Defend Same-Sex Marriage Ban (Washington Post)
Some Virginia legislators are angry with Mark Herring, their Attorney General, for filing a lawsuit to declare the state’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Herring does not feel comfortable upholding a law he says “violates Virginians’ fundamental constitutional rights.” Many worry this recent announcement will make it hard for the bipartisan government to get much done during this term.
State Takes Aim at Sex Trafficking of Minors (The Courant)
Connecticut child-protection, law-enforcement, health, and school officials are working on a more cohesive response to combat sex trafficking in the state. In addition to new laws that toughen penalties and expand the definition of trafficking, the state will hold its first major conference on the topic next week.
Female Inmates at Alabama prison Forced to Have Sex with Guards (Mail Online)
Another report by the US Department of Justice shows systematic and widespread sexual violence occurring in Alabama’s Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women. The report, based on dozens of interviews and hundreds of letters, found that a quarter of inmates had been abused, a third of employees had sex with an inmate, and incidents go unreported for fear of retaliation. State officials were not surprised by the results.
NIH Research Network Finds Many Youth Have High Levels of HIV (National Institutes of Health)
A new study of over 800 youth in 14 cities found that young men who have sex with men have the highest levels of HIV. The youth all were part of a government treatment and research network. The study concludes that it is important to get individuals into treatment early both for their own health and to avoid unknowingly sharing the virus.
Sex Stories: Week in Review, 1/17/14
Sexual Health Rankings™ presents Sex Stories, a weekly roundup of sexual health news from around the country.
Low National Funding for LGBT Health Research Contributes to Inequalities, Analysis Finds (San Diego Gay and Lesbian News)
Between 1989 and 2011, only 05% of the studies funded by the National Institutes of Health looked at the health for LGBT individuals. Further gaps exists within this research, with the emphasis on HIV/AIDS and/or men who have sex with men. Political changes in the early 2000s may have played a role in these results.
Health and Hookups Linked Together for First-Year College Students (Counsel Health)
A new study shows a link between casual sex and female college students’ health. For 13 months, nearly 500 first year females answered questions about their sexual behaviors, their mental health, and STIs. Of those who hooked up more often, depression, sexual victimization, and STIs were more common. STIs were also more common among those who had romantic relationships.
MTV’s ’16 and Pregnant,’ Derided by Some, May Resonate as a Cautionary Tale (New York Times)
An examintion of birth records and Neilsen televsion ratings shows that MTV’s 16 and Pregnant may have helped prevent nearly 20,000 teen pregnancies in 2010. The study also explores how the show influenced behavior, concluding that it encouraged conversations, both online and in person, about sex and contraception.
Sexual Assault Reports Drop at Service Academies (Fort Hood Sentinel)
During the 2012-2013 academic year, reports of sexual assault decreased in two U.S. military academies. Of these reports, most were about events that took place after individuals’ enlisted. The academies themselves appear to be following reporting policies and trying new prevention initiatives. However, those surveyed still identified peer pressure as a major barrier to reporting.